Softball Game Preview: Edsel Ford Thunderbirds vs. Roosevelt Bears

Edsel Ford is 0-8 against Roosevelt since April of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Thunderbirds will welcome the Bears at 4:30 p.m.

Edsel Ford is headed into Thursday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their sixth straight game dating back to last season on Wednesday. They fell 10-5 to Taylor.

Meanwhile, Roosevelt had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by an 18-2 margin over the Railsplitters. The result was nothing new for the Bears, who have now won eight contests by seven runs or more so far this season.

Grace Papler made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in May of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.

In other batting news, Brooklyn Chlipala was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with six RBI, three doubles, and two runs. Shaylan Gourlay was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.

Roosevelt was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .810. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .316 or higher in three consecutive games.

Roosevelt pushed their record up to 8-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.8 runs over those games. As for Edsel Ford, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-3.

Edsel Ford came up short against Roosevelt when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 11-6. Can the Thunderbirds avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.